NFL Fantasy Football: Anatomy of a Draft

Resistance is futile. I gave up and jumped in; went to ESPN.com and joined a random free fantasy league with a bunch of people I don’t even know. I couldn’t wait anymore. I didn’t even do any mock drafts. In the end, I find them unsatisfying even if they are good practice. They’re like eating diet potato chips. Give me the full-on greasy bad stuff. I am an addict. Let the carnage and the shame begin.

Anyway, here are a few non-fantasy football tips for those that are going to be playing online. First, make sure you’ve got your computer in top shape. Run any past due anti-virus software scans your have to get rid of any malware and Trojans you may have that’ll make your computer hiccup or stall (I use free stuff like Avast! as well as Ad-Aware and Spybot). I didn’t and I paid the price. In between the first and second rounds my browser locked up. I had to reboot my browser and my second round choice was made by autopick.

And as far as basic fantasy football tips, here’s a few for the beginners. I am old school and like to go early for a feature running back, somebody that’s going to get the huge share of the touches (carries and receptions) in his backfield. It’s even more important to do so if one is available because they are so rare nowadays with all the running-back-by-committee approaches across the NFL. After that it’s a bit of a toss up for me. I lean towards the most productive QB available over the most productive WR because the highest producing ones produce more points on average that the highest producing WRs. WR is also the most streaky and unpredictable of the three glamour positions. Even the hottest stud WR will disappear completely some random weeks when an opposing defense sells out to stop them or the weather is bad for passing or the coaching staff decides to use them as a decoy the whole game.

But I like to have filled out my most point productive starting positions (RB, QB, WR) in the first five rounds, always keeping an eye toward what positions seem to be disappearing the fastest (each draft is different in that regard, different strokes for different fantasy team owner folks) and what person is likely to score the most points. In the end, it’s points from who you start that week that win games and championships. And I leave K and DEF until last. I also keep a little cheat sheet on a post-it note handy with the bye weeks of all the teams listed so I don’t load up on players with the same bye week at the same position. What good is having studs at the same position as starters and back-ups if you can only start 3 at best (with the Flex position in play) and have to rest them all in the same week?

And here’s one last tip. When deciding who to draft as a back-up or as my K or DEF, I put a premium on the choice with the latest available bye week. That way I don’t have to worry about them till the season is well underway. But it also gives me an advantage if some other team has a back-up (or in the case of a K or DEF) or a starter I want. Since that coveted player on another team has an earlier bye week, there’s always the chance that they might get put on the waiver wire during their bye if their owner has to replace multiple players with the same bye week. If that happens I can put in a waiver claim and hopefully trade up.

Anyway, here are my draft results and some commentary. It was an ESPN basic 16 round snake draft with 10 teams. I drafted 9^th in the odd numbered rounds and second in the even numbered ones. Go Team Kentucky Fried Lemur!

Round: 1
(1) The SITH Are Everywhere – Chris Johnson RB
(2) Team Gray – Maurice Jones-Drew RB
(3) team bailey – Adrian Peterson RB
(4) Team coker – Ray Rice RB
(5) Duff Beers – Andre Johnson WR
(6) Team Kao – Frank Gore RB
(7) Dungadin Dawgs – Steven Jackson RB
(8) Team free – Drew Brees QB
** (9) KentuckyFried Lemur – Michael Turner RB (bye week 8 )
I was gunning for Drew Brees and he got taken out from under me. I reverted to my usual bias of taking a feature RB early. I took Turner, a safe and productive pick. I was tempted to take Aaron Rodgers, but I thought he’d still be there at #12. I was wrong. But true feature backs are in rare supply, so I can’t weep too hard.
(10) The NFL Sports Babe – Randy Moss WR

Round: 2
(11) The NFL Sports Babe – Aaron Rodgers QB
** (12) KentuckyFried Lemur – DeAngelo Williams RB (bye week 6)
The computer autopicked for me, since I was still restarting my browser. It could have been worse, but I can live with DeAngelo Williams. He may have to share carries with Jonathan Stewart but with Matt Moore and rookie Jimmy Clausen at QB and John Fox on the hot seat, there’ll be plenty of carries to go around for both. I really would have preferred Peyton Manning, though.
(13) Team free – Larry Fitzgerald WR
(14) Dungadin Dawgs – Rashard Mendenhall RB
(15) Team Kao – Reggie Wayne WR
(16) Duff Beers – Ryan Grant RB
(17) Team coker – Peyton Manning QB
(18) team bailey – Vincent Jackson WR
(19) Team Gray – Cedric Benson RB
(20) The SITH Are Everywhere – Tom Brady QB

Round: 3
(21) The SITH Are Everywhere – Miles Austin WR
(22) Team Gray – Greg Jennings WR
(23) team bailey – Shonn Greene RB
(24) Team coker – Ryan Mathews RB
(25) Duff Beers – Calvin Johnson WR
(26) Team Kao – Roddy White WR
(27) Dungadin Dawgs – Beanie Wells RB
(28) Team free – Jamaal Charles RB
** (29) KentuckyFried Lemur – DeSean Jackson WR (bye week 8  )
I have two stud RBs and I need a big impact WR1. Randy Moss, Larry Fitzgerald, Reggie Wayne, Miles Austin, Greg Jennings, Megatron and Roddy White are gone. I have to choose between Jackson and Marques Colston. I go with Jackson since he’s clearly the WR focus in Philadelphia even with Maclin in town, while Colston has to share Brees’ attention with Henderson, Meachem, Shockey and Bush.
(30) The NFL Sports Babe – Jonathan Stewart RB

Round: 4
(31) The NFL Sports Babe – Marques Colston WR
** (32) KentuckyFried Lemur – Tony Romo QB (bye week 4)
Brees, Rodgers, Peyton, Brady, all gone. Rivers is available, but how will the SD offense deal with a Vincent Jackson holdout and three game suspension? I go with Romo.
(33) Team free – Brandon Marshall WR
(34) Dungadin Dawgs – Anquan Boldin WR
(35) Team Kao – Knowshon Moreno RB
(36) Duff Beers – Joseph Addai RB
(37) Team coker – Wes Welker WR
(38) team bailey – Steelers D/ST D/ST
(39) Team Gray – Dallas Clark TE
(40) The SITH Are Everywhere – Pierre Thomas RB

Round: 5
(41) The SITH Are Everywhere – Brandon Jacobs RB
(42) Team Gray – Matt Schaub QB
(43) team bailey – Heath Miller TE
(44) Team coker – Thomas Jones RB
(45) Duff Beers – Steve Smith WR
(46) Team Kao – LeSean McCoy RB
(47) Dungadin Dawgs – Philip Rivers QB
(48) Team free – Jahvid Best RB
** (49) KentuckyFried Lemur – Mike Sims-Walker WR (bye week 9)
I wanted Dallas Clark, but he was already gone. I want to go with a WR instead. Sidney Rice is available, but what if Favre actually does retire? I don’t think he will, but what if he finally does? I get paranoid and shy away from Rice. Dwayne Bowe is a possibility but I still don’t have much faith in KC. Sims-Walker is the clear #1 WR in Jacksonville and Garrard’s favorite target. But he doesn’t have much help in Jacksonville to take defenses attention away from him. Last year he started off pretty good and then went hit-or-miss when it became clear the Jags had no other WRs to worry out. It’s a risky call. This one will probably come back to haunt me.
(50) The NFL Sports Babe – Ronnie Brown RB

Round: 6
(51) The NFL Sports Babe – Sidney Rice WR
** (52) KentuckyFried Lemur – Vernon Davis TE (bye week 9)
I pick up a TE that can beat the production of some #1 WRs on bad teams with 78 catches, 13 TDs and 965 yards last year. I’m happy. Kind of makes me feel better for rolling the dice on Sims-Wlaker.
(53) Team free – Percy Harvin WR
(54) Dungadin Dawgs – Antonio Gates TE
(55) Team Kao – Joe Flacco QB
(56) Duff Beers – Dwayne Bowe WR
(57) Team coker – Terrell Owens WR
(58) team bailey – Jay Cutler QB
(59) Team Gray – Matt Forte RB
(60) The SITH Are Everywhere – Donald Driver WR

Round: 7
(61) The SITH Are Everywhere – Marion Barber RB
(62) Team Gray – Steve Smith WR
(63) team bailey – Chad Ochocinco WR
(64) Team coker – Braylon Edwards WR
(65) Duff Beers – Ricky Williams RB
(66) Team Kao – Justin Forsett RB
(67) Dungadin Dawgs – Hines Ward WR
(68) Team free – Jason Witten TE
** (69) KentuckyFried Lemur – Felix Jones RB (bye week 4)
I’m looking for a good back-up RB for bye week relief that I can also  start in the Flex position. I prefer RBs in the flex when I can, because they can generate points running and receiving, but that’s just me. LT is a possibility, but I think Shonn Greene will really limit his touches. There’s Jerome Harrison in Cleveland, but he has same bye week as Michael Turner. Reggie Bush is a possibility but he gets banged up. Jones may wind up being the starter in Dallas but is still guaranteed to get worked into both the passing and running games to spell Barber even if he doesn’t become the main man.
(70) The NFL Sports Babe – Pierre Garcon WR

Round: 8
(71) The NFL Sports Babe – LaDainian Tomlinson RB
** (72) KentuckyFried Lemur – Steve Breaston WR (bye week 6)
Sure, Kurt Warner is gone, but so is Anquan Boldin. I don’t see the Cardinals offense becoming an imitation of the Carolina Panthers this year. Breaston is now the clear productive veteran #2 WR on a team that passes a lot. He might wind up being my starter over Sims-Wlaker.
(73) Team free – Michael Crabtree WR
(74) Dungadin Dawgs – T.J. Houshmandzadeh WR
(75) Team Kao – Owen Daniels TE
(76) Duff Beers – Donovan McNabb QB
(77) Team coker – Tim Hightower RB
(78) team bailey – Jerome Harrison RB
(79) Team Gray – Clinton Portis RB
(80) The SITH Are Everywhere – Jeremy Maclin WR

Round: 9
(81) The SITH Are Everywhere – Mike Wallace WR
(82) Team Gray – Dez Bryant WR
(83) team bailey – Darren Sproles RB
(84) Team coker – Visanthe Shiancoe TE
(85) Duff Beers – Santana Moss WR
(86) Team Kao – Lee Evans WR
(87) Dungadin Dawgs – Reggie Bush RB
(88) Team free – Cowboys D/ST D/ST
** (89) KentuckyFried Lemur – C.J. Spiller RB (bye week 6)
He’s just a rookie, but a talented one. With shaky QBs at best, the Bills RBs will get a lot of work and he’s got the talent and skills to make the most of it.
(90) The NFL Sports Babe – Tony Gonzalez TE

Round: 10
(91) The NFL Sports Babe – Jets D/ST D/ST
** (92) KentuckyFried Lemur – Jermichael Finley TE (bye week 10)
Finley’s stats don’t look that great (55 catches, 676 yards, 5 TDs) but he didn’t start the first half of the season and then missed three games with an injury. Anything close to a full season and he’ll be posting Tony Gonzalez-in-his-prime sorts of numbers. He’s good insurance if Vernon Davis falters and if they’re both doing well, I can use one of them as trade bait.
(93) Team free – Tashard Choice RB
(94) Dungadin Dawgs – Hakeem Nicks WR
(95) Team Kao – Robert Meachem WR
(96) Duff Beers – Brent Celek TE
(97) Team coker – Laurence Maroney RB
(98) team bailey – Brady Quinn QB
(99) Team Gray – Santonio Holmes WR
(100) The SITH Are Everywhere – Eli Manning QB

Round: 11
(101) The SITH Are Everywhere – Kellen Winslow TE
(102) Team Gray – Derrick Mason WR
(103) team bailey – Kenny Britt WR
(104) Team coker – Brett Favre QB
(105) Duff Beers – Eagles D/ST D/ST
(106) Team Kao – Fred Jackson RB
(107) Dungadin Dawgs – Packers D/ST D/ST
(108) Team free – Carson Palmer QB
** (109) KentuckyFried Lemur – Kevin Kolb QB (bye week 8 )
He should do well for the Eagles, but I think he’ll plateau out by the second half of the season as defense get used to him and figure out how to attack this still developing QB. The bright side for me is that I just need him to do well during Romo’s bye week. The dark side is that he goes against a stout Redskins defense in week 4. The other bright side is that he gets to play them at home and I think the kid has enough spunk to step it up to show the world that it really was time for him to take over from McNabb.
(110) The NFL Sports Babe – Golden Tate WR

Round: 12
(111) The NFL Sports Babe – Matt Ryan QB
** (112) KentuckyFried Lemur – Devery Henderson WR (bye week 10)
He was the second leading receiver on the Saints last year (51 catches, 804 yards), though he only scored 2 TDs. Kind of wish I had Meachem, but he went two rounds ago but I could be doing a lot worse for my #4 WR.
(113) Team free – Eddie Royal WR
(114) Dungadin Dawgs – Ben Tate RB
(115) Team Kao – Ben Roethlisberger QB
(116) Duff Beers – Michael Bush RB
(117) Team coker – Anthony Gonzalez WR
(118) team bailey – Darren McFadden RB
(119) Team Gray – Malcom Floyd WR
(120) The SITH Are Everywhere – 49ers D/ST D/ST

Round: 13
(121) The SITH Are Everywhere – Ravens D/ST D/ST
(122) Team Gray – Bengals D/ST D/ST
(123) team bailey – Johnny Knox WR
(124) Team coker – Legedu Naanee WR
(125) Duff Beers – Matthew Stafford QB
(126) Team Kao – Vikings D/ST D/ST
(127) Dungadin Dawgs – Ahmad Bradshaw RB
(128) Team free – Davone Bess WR
** (129) KentuckyFried Lemur – Donald Brown RB (bye week 7)
Addai is ahead of him on the depth chart, and he wasn’t a threat to take over last year with pass-blocking deficiencies and an injury. But he’s had a year to improve his blocking and he has better speed than Addai, so he should improve his numbers this year, plus he’s a nice bye week fit since both Spiller and Williams have a bye in week 6.
(130) The NFL Sports Babe – Arian Foster RB

Round: 14
(131) The NFL Sports Babe – Toby Gerhart RB
** (132) KentuckyFried Lemur – Mario Manningham WR (bye week 8 )
He has the same bye week as DeSean Jackson, but I have him as a dark horse to have a break out in this, his third season. even with Hakeem Nicks and Ramses Barden in the mix. I mean, he still finished the season as the Giants second leading receiver.
(133) Team free – Stephen Gostkowski K
(134) Dungadin Dawgs – Roy E. Williams WR
(135) Team Kao – Chris Cooley TE
(136) Duff Beers – Cadillac Williams RB
(137) Team coker – Patriots D/ST D/ST
(138) team bailey – Chad Henne QB
(139) Team Gray – Willis McGahee RB
(140) The SITH Are Everywhere – Zach Miller TE

Round: 15
(141) The SITH Are Everywhere – David Akers K
(142) Team Gray – Alex Smith QB
(143) team bailey – Nate Kaeding K
(144) Team coker – Ryan Succop K
(145) Duff Beers – Chester Taylor RB
(146) Team Kao – Montario Hardesty RB
(147) Dungadin Dawgs – Vince Young QB
(148) Team free – Bernard Berrian WR
** (149) KentuckyFried Lemur – Mason Crosby K (bye week 10)
Kickers are replaceable, but at least he plays for a high scoring team and I shouldn’t have to worry about finding a replacement until week 10.
(150) The NFL Sports Babe – Ryan Longwell K

Round: 16
(151) The NFL Sports Babe – Julius Jones RB
** (152) KentuckyFried Lemur – Saints D/ST D/ST (bye week 10)
Defenses are replaceable, too. And I don’t have to worry about fiddling with them until week 10, too, unless I want to.
(153) Team free – Greg Olsen TE
(154) Dungadin Dawgs – Garrett Hartley K
(155) Team Kao – Rob Bironas K
(156) Duff Beers – Matt Prater K
(157) Team coker – Lance Moore WR
(158) team bailey – Jerricho Cotchery WR
(159) Team Gray – Jay Feely K
(160) The SITH Are Everywhere – Jeff Reed K

Photo by Mark Wallace

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